The Night Dad Came Home
by TRUMAN'S SHELL
Summary: My version of what happened when John came home after Sam ran away to Flagstaff based on episode 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon written for LJ's 2012 Spring Challenge warning: Spanking


**Prompts: The art of apologizing, werewolf, got its share, extreme behaviors, crusader, military, music, suicidal, strap **

John loved going home after a good hunt. The werewolf was dead and he walked away without a scratch. As anyone in the military can tell you there is no place like home, especially when you just fought for your life. John was also ready to make peace with Sam. Sam and John were not exactly seeing eye to eye about anything these days. In fact Sam was trying to piss him off on a daily basis.

The night before he went on the hunt, he caught Sam smoking. Sure John smoked every once in a while, but Sam was only thirteen. What in the hell was the boy thinking? John didn't even give the kid a chance to explain himself, he just pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, swatted him hard, put him in the car, and drove them both home in silence.

When they got home the boy must have been suicidal or something because instead of apologizing, the boy started arguing. The words still stung and he wondered if it was the words or the smoking that made John punish the boy that hard. John played the night back over and over in his mind as he drove home.

**Three Days Earlier:**

Whenever the Winchester boys were in trouble John forced them to stand in the corner, to await punishment. Well, there were two reasons for this, first he wanted the boys to think about what they did wrong and second, he usually needed to calm down before he could punish them appropriately. Sam should have expected the order and followed it without exception.

"Samuel, get your ass in a corner."

"You smoke, so I'm just following your poor example as my only parent. Not that you're really a parent. Shit, you just got home after being gone for three weeks and I know you're leaving again tonight, with Caleb. Talk about a dead beat dad," Sam sneered walking towards the corner.

"Sammy, that's not true. Dad…"

"Dean, take off," John said.

"Dad, really…OW…Shit…I…Didn't…" Dean stammered through the five sharp swats his Dad landed. "Leaving, sir."

"I'll call you when we're done here. I have to leave as soon as possible," John said.

"See, that's exactly what I mean, Dean will have to finish whatever punishment you give me. While you'll just beat my ass and take off," the thirteen year old spat.

John sat on the couch and put his head in his hands. He realized that he'd been hunting a lot more lately and leaving the boys for longer periods of time. He felt that the boys were old enough now and he was taking advantage of that fact. Was Sammy right? Was he becoming a dead beat dad?

John finally, looked at the thirteen year old and tried to remember exactly why they were there, not how shoddy his parenting was.

"Samuel, get the paddle now," John said harshly.

Sam stomped into his dad's room and grabbed the paddle. He walked back out and handed it to his father angrily.

"Sam…" John started, wanting to have a rational conversation with his son, but Sam wasn't about to let that happen.

"What? Don't smoke? You're a good Dad? Just beat my ass and go. That's what you want to do, so just fucking do it already," Sam spat, taking off his jeans and boxers throwing himself over his father's lap. Sam was known for extreme behaviors, but this one was surely taking the cake.

John sat there in shock for a few seconds. Usually, Sam would try anything to get out of a spanking. The boy had the art of apologizing down to a tee, but tonight the boy was practically begging for the mother of all spankings. If that was what Sam wanted, than John was more than willing to oblige.

John turned his son's bottom a bright and angry red before picking up the paddle. He heard Sam crying, but the boy refused to give into the spanking, another thing that should have tipped John off that something was really wrong with his youngest, but Sam's words and the truth behind them were stinging something fierce at that point.

"Eight, Sammy," John said.

"Whatever," Sam said between sobs.

John took that to mean that he needed to up the ante and dropped the paddle a little harder than usual. Sam yelped hard, making John think that the boy would give in. Nope, Sam took all eight and John didn't hear one apology during the spanking. When John tried to comfort his son, Sam just pushed him away, pulled up his pants with a grimace, and said,

"You better leave, _Caleb's_ waiting and I know how important your _job _is."

"Sammy…" John tried, not liking the way he was leaving things, especially before a hunt. All John wanted to do was hold his son and tell him that he meant more to him than his job, but Sam was having none of that.

"Will you just leave already," Sam said tears pouring down his face.

"Samuel, since a spanking hasn't gotten through that thick skull of yours. You're grounded until I get back. I'll leave a list of chores for you with your brother and Samuel, I better see an improvement in your attitude or you'll be back across my knee before you know it," John said losing his temper.

"Am I excused, sir?" Sam asked, thinking maybe it was time to go, before his Dad made good on his threat. Plus he just wanted to rub the sting out and cry.

"Go ahead," John said, tiredly giving in.

Sam ran out of the room and shut his door. The minute he was inside he started sobbing hard into his pillow. His ass was on fire and he was so frustrated by everything right now. He was sick of John and his being a crusader against the supernatural. Did his father care about him at all? Sam thought about it for a few seconds and made a decision,

'His dad didn't care.'

Well, if his Dad didn't care and could take off whenever he wanted, so could he. Sam grabbed his duffle and started packing quietly. He didn't want to tip of the seasoned hunter or his brother. The minute his duffle was packed, Sam opened the window and put it outside in the bushes. He was done with this family and done with supernatural and to be honest right now he could care less.

Dean walked in five minutes after John called.

"Sammy ok?"

"I didn't kill him. He's grounded until I get back and I'll leave you a list of chores for him to complete every day. He's also going to be running five miles a day until he realizes that he's not the one in charge here."

"Dad it was just one cigarette."

"Dean, I don't want to hear it."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm going to try and talk to your brother again," John said walking towards the back of the house.

Sam heard his Dad walking down the hall and decided to pretend to be asleep, he didn't want to talk to the man and he sure as hell didn't want to hear the lecture about the dangers of smoking.

John tapped once on the door. He knew Sammy was feigning sleep, but he didn't want to start another fight with the kid. He closed the door softly and his heart broke when he heard his little boy break into sobs. Everything in his soul told him to walk back in and take his son into his arms, but he didn't. He just walked back down the hall.

"I thought you were going to talk to Sammy?" Dean asked.

"Your brother doesn't want to talk and I don't want to push him right now," John said.

"You realize that he's testing you right?"

"Dean, Sammy's being a brat and nothing else."

"Dad, you're wrong about this and I have a feeling that we're going to regret it," Dean said.

"I have a feeling you're going to have a hard time with your little brother while I'm gone," John warned.

"I can handle Sammy," Dean said smiling.

"Dean, do me a favor, when your brother's done pouting ask him to give me a call. I really want to understand where he's coming from right now."

"I'll try and talk to him, I promise."

"Thanks, kiddo," John said grabbing his stuff and walking out the door.

Dean decided to let his brother stew for a little while. The kid was becoming a real pain in the ass. Dean finally walked into the room about two hours after his father left and found it empty and it looked like Sammy took his stuff with him. The stupid kid just ran away from home.

"Fuck."

Dean got into the Impala and started the search. A search that would prove fruitless for three days and on the third day Dean decided it was time to call his father. He did this for two reasons, first he used up every lead he had and second the man was due home some time that night. Dean figured fessing up early would be the lesser of two evils.

"Sammy, finally give up?" John asked hopefully, he was on his way home and was hoping that this was going to be a step in the right direction.

"Dad, Sammy's gone. He left sometime after you did."

"What! And you didn't tell me?"

"Dad, I wanted to give him a chance to come back on his own. I didn't want him to get into any more trouble."

"Well, he's not the only one in trouble now," John growled, "I'll be there in three hours, put your sorry ass in the corner in about two and a half."

"Yes, sir."

**Sam:**

Sam loved Flagstaff. He'd been stashing cash for months now. He knew the day would come when he just had to get away and now was the time. Sure, he was the one who smoked the cigarette and he was the one who stole it from his Dad's pack, but he was sick of the supernatural, sick of the training and really sick of his Dad.

The dog was absolutely the best part of this experience. He was a beautiful and sweet. John had never let them get a dog no matter how many times Sam begged, he said that it wasn't fair to raise a dog on the road. Sam tried to point out that it also wasn't fair to raise kids on the road, but his Dad just ignored him as usual.

Living on pizza and take out wasn't anything new to Sam, but having the chance to make the decisions about what he ate and when he ate it, was. He also loved the fact that there was no training, no rules, no stupid bedtimes, no salt lines, no supernatural, and especially, no one telling him what to do every minute of the day.

The place he was staying at wasn't the best, but hell he grew up in places not much better than this. He looked around the place it was merely an old hunter's cabin, Sam actually smiled at that and wondered if it was a real hunter or one like his dad.

The dog barked wanting to make sure it got its share of the hamburger Sam was eating. Sam smiled at the dog as he gave him some of the meat and said,

"This is the life."

**John and Dean:**

John was fucking pissed. There was no other way to put it. He had never been this angry with either one of his boys. They knew what was out there in the night and his baby had been on his own for three whole days, to make matters worse he eldest decided to keep the information to his self until he had exhausted every lead and knew he was about to get caught red handed. Sure the boys didn't know Sam had a demon after him, but damn it they knew better than this.

John walked into the rental house and was happy that Dean had followed his order of standing his dumb ass in the corner until he arrived. John also knew he had to get down and dirty with this one, because there was no time to drag this punishment out. He was supposed to be able to trust Dean to watch over Sammy, sure Sammy was the one to run away, but if Dean had just picked up the phone things would have been resolved in a matter of hours instead of a matter of days.

John walked back to his room and grabbed an item that had been used on his hide more than once in his life, but one he never thought he would use on one of his sons. The strap was much thicker than his belt and he knew he would get his message across much faster by giving the kid ten good licks. They needed to be on their way quickly, because Sam wasn't spending another night out on his own.

"Dean, get your ass over here," John said without preamble.

Dean walked over, sure he had seen the strap before and his Dad had told both of the boys if they ever fucked up enough they would taste it, but Dean felt this wasn't fair. Sure he fucked up, by not calling his Dad, but he wanted to give Sammy a chance.

"Pants and boxers, then lean over the couch."

Dean blanched at this. Dad had never spanked him any place other than across his knees. Dean shakily popped the button on his jean and pulled them down along with his boxers. He leaned over the couch and less than a second later he felt the fire of the strap. Dean yelped and the second one just made things ten times worse. How many was he going to have to take? As if John was reading his mind, he said,

"You're getting ten, Dean. Three for each day you didn't call me and one to keep you from ever doing this again."

"Yes, sir," Dean said hoping he could make it through.

After the third strip, John saw quickly that his son's butt was already bright red. He decided to lighten the strength behind the blows, not that Dean noticed. John wanted to make sure he didn't bruise the kid, but he also wanted this to be a lesson he only had to teach once. When he reached the tenth and final lick, John helped his son up and said,

"Dean, this is probably the most irresponsible thing you have ever done in your life. I can't even describe how disappointed I am right now."

Those words stung worse than the whipping. Dean wished his Dad would just whip him again and take the words back.

"We need to get going," John said. He wanted to hug his son more than anything and tell the boy, he was forgiven, but like the spanking, he was making a point.

Dean walked mournfully to the car and noticed that his Dad had put the paddle into the bag. Well, at least Sammy wasn't going to feel the sting of that stupid strap. He also hoped one day his father would forgive him and trust him again.

John watched his son wince as he climbed into the car. It had taken John all of ten minutes to figure out where Sam was and the boy was going to have a rude awakening in about seven hours. About an hour into the Dean decided he couldn't take the silence anymore,

"Where are we going?"

"Flagstaff."

"What's in Flagstaff?"

"Sammy."

"How?"

"Because I'm not a kid and I know what I'm doing."

"Dad, I'm sorry I let you down," Dean said looking at the floor of the Impala.

John sighed and decided to go back on his promise to himself that he wasn't going to comfort his eldest until they found Sammy, he wanted this lesson to stick and shutting Dean out usually had more of an impact than a spanking did, but after hearing the dejection and self-loathing in Dean's voice, John broke. He pulled the car over and was surprised to see fear in his eldest eyes, maybe he had gone too far this time. John opened the door and pulled his son out of the car into a hug.

"Dean, I love you boys more than anything in the world. I know at times it seems like I'm a heartless bastard and if I were you I would be thinking that right about now, but there are some thinks that you don't and will never know. Your keeping this information from me, just because you wanted to save your brother's ass, could have meant disaster for our family. Sammy is thirteen years old and for three days he hasn't been protected from the supernatural or the real world and that is totally unacceptable."

"I know Dad and I'm sorry."

"It's ok, kiddo. Just don't let it happen again. I think after a few days recovery from my spanking that you should deliver your own. Maybe between the two of us we can get through Sammy's thick skull," John said smiling at his eldest.

"I don't know Dad, Sammy's pretty thick sometimes," Dean said smiling back.

"Alright, it's time to find and kill one Samuel Winchester," John said giving his son one last hug.

"At least he won't have to feel that strap, my ass is killing me."

"Trust me I know," John said smiling slightly.

**Sam:**

Sam heard the car before he saw it. Fun time was over and it was time to face the music. Hopefully he would only have to deal with Dean, but should have known better. He saw John get out of the car and every instinct in his body told him to run, but he didn't. He was going to stand there and take whatever the man gave him.

The first thing that John did when he walked into the room was hug his son tightly. Sam was shocked by this action, he thought his Dad was going to start spanking and ask questions later.

John looked around the room and he shook his head at all of the empty containers and soda cans, thinking his boys could be real slobs when they wanted to. Not that he would ever let them get away with it. He also noticed that Sam hadn't bothered to salt the door and window.

Once he had a look around, John walked over to the couch holding his son's arms. He pulled Sam in between his legs so he could look the boy in the eyes. He was happy that Sam hadn't hit his growth spurt yet.

"Why?"

Sam just looked down until he felt a hard swat.

"I asked you a question, Samuel and I expect an answer."

"I'm sick of it."

"Sick of what?"

Sam looked at his Dad as if he had two heads. Was the man really that dense? Again a swat came when Sam didn't reply.

"Everything! Your leaving all the time, the stupid training, moving all the time, and the fucking supernatural," Sam yelled at the top of his lungs.

John listened to the order of Sam's tirade and it firmed up exactly what he was thinking.

"Sammy, look at me," John said softly.

Sam continued to look down, making John sigh before landing another swat. Why couldn't Sammy just… Because that wasn't who Sammy was and John knew it.

Sam looked up. Once John knew that he had his son's full attention he said,

"Samuel, no matter what you think, you boys are the most important thing in my life. I realize at thirteen it might not seem like it, because I'm always leaving you to fight the supernatural, but I'm fighting to keep you safe and others like you safe."

Tears started pouring down Sammy's face, because he knew what his father was saying was true, but it was easier to think his Dad didn't care.

"So, tell me why kiddo?" John said softly.

"I couldn't take it anymore. You just got home the night before and then you decided to take that job with Caleb. Dad, do you realize that you've only been home three days this month? And I got a spanking on every one of those days. All I…"

John thought about it for a moment and knew his son was absolutely right, not that Sammy didn't deserve each and every one of those spankings but for a thirteen year old kid it would seem like his Dad didn't care about or love him.

"All what?"

"I just wanted to spend time with you and you ruined it every time, by sending me to my room after spanking me."

"Sammy, I get it I really do, but when you misbehave I can't let it go."

"Why?" Sam asked sounding so much younger than he actually was.

John pulled him into a hug and said,

"What kind of father would I be if I let you get away with things, like sneaking out to see a movie after I told you no, telling me to fuck off because you didn't want to train, or smoking a cigarette?"

Sam knew his father was right, not that he would ever admit it. So he fell deeper into the hug that his father was offering. John sighed again really not wanting this moment to end, but also knowing he had another son waiting outside,

"Sammy, we need to talk about your running away."

Sam stiffened in his father's arms. John pushed the boy out so he could look into his eyes again.

"First of all you aren't allowed to leave the house without telling someone where you're going. Second, you hitchhiked so that you could get to another town and take a bus to Flagstaff…"

"Dad, I knew…"

John swatted him to cut off the excuse.

"Third, you stole money..."

"No, I saved money."

"Fine you saved money, meaning you've planned this for a while."

Sam squirmed and tried to determine if his admission had been the best course of action.

"Fourth, I don't see any salt lines, so you didn't protect yourself against the supernatural. Finally, you ran away which is totally unacceptable no matter what's going on in your life."

"Yes, sir."

"So you realize that you're going to get a spanking right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, let's get this over with," John said.

Like Dean, this lesson was going to be one that Sammy would never forget. John lit into his son hard and fast turning Sam's butt crimson. Sam was sobbing by this point promising that he would never ever run away again. John stopped and pulled out the paddle, Sam's heart dropped,

"Daddy, please don't."

"Sorry Sammy, but what you did was extremely reckless," John said with a heavy heart. He landed the paddle hard on the crown of his son's bright red butt six times hard and four on his sit spots. Sammy could barely breathe by the time he was finished. John pulled his son's boxers up and into a strong hug. Once Sammy was finally calmed down, John said,

"Sammy, I love you boys more than anything. I know at times, I don't spend a lot of time with you, but that doesn't mean that I'm not thinking about you or caring about what is going on in your life."

"It doesn't feel like it," Sam said honestly.

John hugged his son tighter and dropped a kiss on his head.

"How about I work on that for ya?" John said. "Time to go, Dean's waiting for us. You owe your brother a huge apology and don't be surprised if he spanks you later in the week."

"That's not fair," Sam pouted.

"It wasn't fair to take off on your brother either."

"I know," Sam said looking down.

Sam walked out and said sheepishly,

"Hi Dean."

"Sam," Dean said getting into the car angrily.

"Dean…"

"Shut up dickhead, I don't want to hear it."

"Dean," John warned.

"Dad, he scared the shit out of me," Dean said. There was no way he was telling Sam about the ass whipping he took because of the boy taking off. Sammy would blame himself and no matter how pissed off Dean was right now, he wouldn't let his brother do that.

"You'll have your chance to punish him for it in a couple of days," John said making Sam wince.

His ass was on fire and he knew the spanking would still be with him when Dean got his turn. "Plus you two have some quality time to spend together. Dean, you're grounded for two weeks and Sammy you're grounded for two months."

"Dad," both boys whined.

"I don't want to hear it. Just so you know I'm staying home for the next two weeks as well. We really need some time together."

Both boys tried not to smile at their Dad's announcement because they couldn't wait to spend some time with the man even if they were grounded.


End file.
